Project 1: The installation and calibration of thin compression load cells to measure forces between facets in spines or knees or other joints
Mentor: Debi P. Mukherjee
Department: Orthopaedic Surgery
Your e-mail address: dmukhe@lsuhsc.edu
Your phone number: 318- 675-6187
Project Description:
In our continued efforts to upgrade the testing facilities in the Biomechanics Laboratory we are interested to set up the Ultra Precision Mini Load Cell having a low profile to fit into small space like the disc space in cervical spines. These load cells are capable or measuring tensile or compression forces. We have purchased one load cell 10lb range. The project will involve working out the bugs, and connecting the load cell to the computer via Lab View software and setting up the protocol to measure compressive forces between the end plates in cervical, lumbar and thoracic spines.
Project 2: Project title: Use of Shaped memory metal (Nitinol) to repair fracture of bone or bone/soft tissue repair
Mentor (your name): Debi P. Mukherjee
Department: Orthopaedic Surgery
Your e-mail address: dmukhe@lsuhsc.edu
Your phone number: 318- 675-6187
Project Description:
Nitinol an alloy of nickel and titanium has the property that it remembers its shape hence known as “Memory alloy”. There are some reports in the literature that nitinol has some unique properties to fix fracture in bone 1
Ritzman, Sears, Seth, Litsky, “Nitinol shape memory alloy foe cerclage wire compression, 2000 Poster Presentation Sixth World biomaterials Congress Transactions Society for Biomaterials , 557.
Nitinol has found applications in vascular surgery and scoliosis repair in spines. This project is exploratory in nature. It is the objective of the study is to evaluate fracture fixation in bone and bone soft tissue fixation and biomechanical testing of model systems.
Project 3: Growth of chondrocytes into the biodegradable scaffold
Mentor (your name): Debi P. Mukherjee
Department: Orthopaedic Surgery
Your e-mail address: dmukhe@lsuhsc.edu
Your phone number: 318- 675-6187
Project Description
We are working in collaboration with WLGore Co., Flagstaff, AZ to grow mesechymal stroma cell derived chondrocytes into biodegradable scaffold made from Maxon® suture material. So far we have studied the rat mesenchymal stroma cell line obtained form Dr Prockop’s laboratory in Tulane University. We are starting to work with human mesenchymal stroma cell line from Tulane University and a new version of scaffold sample of improved microstructure. The project will require some cell culture and biochemical analysis of the cell/scaffold constructs.
Other miscellaneous on going projects with orthopaedic surgery residents in shoulder, knees and forearm fracture fixation in the Biomechanics Laboratory also available for considerations.